Pirates of the Caribbean - Hot July 1984

Before "The Bridge," the Pirates of the Caribbean entrance was easily approachable. Of course, it took quite a while to get there. I remember when the line wound back and forth and then down the side of the attraction (between the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse and the Pirates of the Caribbean building). There was a nice covered area (bullpen) along the side of the attraction and you could peek into some of the windows to see the lucky folks who had made their way inside (before they reached the boat loading area). The Swisskapolka lulled incessantly in the background from high up in the Treehouse, providing a bouncy background soundtrack to your seemingly endless stay in line. I can still remember the smell of the Pirates of the Caribbean as you entered. It really hasn't changed much actually---kind of a musty, watery, chlorinated smell. There was also that cool blast of air conditioning as you finally hit the turnstile and entered the building.

On some busy summer days before "The Bridge" was put in place, the line for Pirates would extend almost all the way down to the Rivers of America. It created quite a traffic jam on the West Side, especially if the attraction's hosts were "newbies" and hadn't quite yet mastered where the poles and chains were supposed to go.

I remember one hot day in July 1984 when the crowd was enormous. Somebody got the "bullpen" posts and chains out of whack and the Pirates line became a total mess. Another sweeper and I were trying to push a heavy trash cart through a sea of guests. When we reached the Pirates, things literally became impassable. Security had to clear a route for us and a small contingent of Pirates ride operators made fairly quick work of getting the guests back into a line that actually went somewhere. There's nothing like the combination of afternoon sun, heat, no breeze, thousands of guests, crying children and waiting in a serpentine line to make the Disney magic fade just a touch. Doh!

Fortunately, most folks are pretty good natured about such experiences---you have to expect them when you hit a popular theme park in California right around the 4th of July vacation peak. Here's an insider tip: stay home. Buy an annual passport and come back with your kids in February, March or late September/early October. If you don't like crowds, celebrate the 4th of July and Christmas in your own home. Otherwise, join forces with 64,000 of your friends and herd on into Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom (the original, of course). I'm sure you'll find, there's nothing quite like it.

1983 Guidebook and Blackfooted Rock Hopper

Ah, Disneyland in the early 1980s. New Fantasyland. New Coke. Here's the souvenir guidebook for 1983, along with the "Adventureland" section showing how things were back in the days before "Aladdin" took over the "Tahitian Terrace." Of course, there was no "Indiana Jones" attraction then, either, so it's probably a wash since Indy definitely is one of the few gems added to the park during the Eisner era. Still...losing the "Tahitian Terrace?" Ouch. Still hurts.

Here's a Tahitian Terrace-related Jungle Cruise story. It is true.

As the boat approached the dock at the end of the ride, there were some stepping stones in the water along the back side of the Tahitian Terrace stage. These were part of the pathway that led from the Jungle Cruise to the "backstage" break area behind Main Street. You would walk along the stones on your way behind the Tahitian Terrace to the area where the Jungle boats were stored when they were taken off line.

This walkway was also used by the Samoan "fire dancers" who were Cast Members in the Tahitian Terrace dinner show. They would use the walkway to make their entrance from the rear of the stage, dressed in full Polynesian regalia. These guys were enormous and were not known for even tempers. One Jungle Cruise skipper found out the hard way why it is not good to anger large Samoans.

It seems that one such Samoan gentleman was making his way across the stepping stones as the skipper and his crew were passing by Trader Sam and heading toward the dock. The skipper pointed out the Samoan to his crew of guests. He told them over the microphone/speaker to enjoy their glimpse of the "Amazing Blackfooted Rockhopper on the port side." The Samoan gentleman hear this crack (as he was only a few feet from the boat) and became...shall we say...agitated. He leapt onto the dock and then onto the bow of the boat---in full Polynesian war regalia---and reached in and grabbed the frantic skipper by his shirt. He was about to unleash a torrent of physical pain on the poor guy when other nearby skippers (and Disney security) came to his rescue. The angry Samoan never got a clean shot as his prey, but sure scared the heck out of the guy. Mental note: don't refer to large Samoans as "Blackfooted Rock Hoppers" (especially when they are within striking distance).

Penny Arcade - 1984

The Penny Arcade on Main Street was once a...penny arcade.
Imagine.
It was there that we first met.
As I walked into the place, I was drawn to her.
She did not say a word.
Neither did I.
Our eyes locked for a moment and I found myself walking over to her. Something about her was mystical.

Her long dark hair draped over her shoulders. She had dark eyes, incredible lashes and full lips. She wore a dramatic silky blouse with a vest and a bold sash.
I stood before her searching for a way to connect. There are some people in this life you wouldn't drop a dime on.

For her, I dropped a quarter.
We never spoke, but she left me with this.

Disneyland 1983 Wallet Fact Card

As a Custodial Host during my first summer at Disneyland, I was provided with a "Wallet Fact Card" for the Park. Having been a Park goer for many years prior to working there, I was already quite aware of most of the information on the card.

Looking at the card today reminds us of the way things were just before Eisner & Wells came on board. This was the park before the corporate greed really got rolling and stupid things started happening to Disneyland. Back then, admission prices were reasonable and the attractions were classic. Area theming still remained true to Walt's original vision. There was a parking lot. A big parking lot. It stood in gray contrast to the colorful world "inside the berm."

There were actually things to see and do in Tomorrowland, for example.

America Sings was till operating. You could take a "Mission to Mars" or cruise along the Peoplemover tracks and look down over Tomorrowland. The Rocket Jets were high in the air and in the middle of Tomorrowland. Now, they're on Main Street and a bizarre modern space sculpture occupies their old location (what the hell is that thing anyway? Looks like a bad DirecTV antenna). Mary Blair's mural still graced the building that housed the Circle Vision theater, where you could catch "American Journeys" and cool off during a hot summer day. The Submarine Voyage subs cruised their crystal-clear lagoon while the Skyway floated overhead on its way through the Matterhorn to Fantasyland.

Tomorrowland itself was a bright, white vision of the future. Sure, it was a "dated" vision, but it beats the heck out of the funky, rust-colored "Jules Verne" mess that it later became. Even the Autopia was friendlier. The cars were bright, primary colors. There was no massive canopy thing (again with the Jules Verne rust colors everywhere) blocking the wide open view of the Autopia and the Monorail track above it.

I miss the "old" Tomorrowland.

Oh, and one more thing, the Carnation Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street. It is gone. Oh do I miss the strawberry ice cream sodas they used to make there. I also miss the old red and white umbrellas over the tables in the patio area. The red and white just seemed to blend in with Main Street. They also served a Monte Cristo sandwich that was fabulous. The costumes worn by the cast members were also fitting and perfect for the 1890s theming.




Well, enough reminiscing. Here's hoping that the new crew in charge of Disneyland will look back and take some lessons from the folks who originally designed and built the place. I see some promising signs that this may be happening. Call me when they bring back Tomorrowland.

Disneyland's Canoe Races - 1984

I experienced my first Cast Member Canoe Race in Summer of 1984. The Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes were used by teams from all around the Park---Operations, Custodial, Outdoor Vending, etc. There were Men's, Women's and Co-Ed divisions. Some of us from Custodial joined the effort. Of course, the shoe-ins were always the guys who ran the Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes. They had python arms and hours and hours of practice skirting Tom Sawyer's Island during their daily shifts, often with little or no assistance from the guests.

July 12,1984. I remember the early cool morning before opening, just as the sun was cresting. We were gathered in Bear Country and preparing for our run. The groups were competitive---some cutthroat, but most were out to have fun. The team names were creative (some not so): "Pink Sheets," "Rowing Stones," "Skid Rowers," "Oar Mongers," "East German Women," etc.

We had a co-ed team in Day Custodial. Great group. Not so great lap time. Still, splashing about in green water containing billions of heretofore unheard of species of bacteria at 6:00a.m. with a bunch of friends in a canoe was actually a blast. Indeed, the paddling seemed to take hold, as the Sweepers, later that summer and the next, organized whitewater rafting trips on the American and Kern Rivers. Those trips were completely enjoyable.
I attach pages from the "Disneyland Line" in July 1984, including an article that discusses the history of the Canoe Races with a few cast members who were there when the Races were started in 1963.

The Canoe Races undoubtedly remain fond memories for those who participated in them over the years. I still can't get the bacteria smell out of my t-shirt, though.

Jungle Cruise - Pull Over!

This is a classic Jungle Cruise prank, best performed at night.

First, you need a seasoned skipper (Skipper 1) and a boatful of guests. Now send them out into the jungle and give them about 3-5 minutes lead time.

Next, a Lead and another seasoned skipper (Skipper 2) grab the motorized skiff and a flashlight and head out into the jungle after the Jungle boat.

When the skiff catches up to Skipper 1 and his boat (preferably around the African Veldt), the Lead flashes his flashlight while he and Skipper make siren noises. They proceed to "pull over" the Jungle boat skipper (Skipper1), just before the Hippo Pool.

Then Skipper 2 (in the skiff) boards the Jungle boat and announces that its skipper (Skipper 1) has violated Jungle Cruise policies for the last time ("by returning with 3 empty boats so far today" or "by offering guests as appetizers to natives in headhunter country," etc., etc.) and generally makes a commotion, followed by a ceremonious and overly dramatic "arrest" of Skipper 1. Skipper 2 then directs Skipper 1 off the Jungle boat---to the surprise of his crew of slightly stunned guests---and onto the skiff with the Lead waiting on board. The skiff is usually nice and close to shore and on the "Rhino" side of the river, so as to minimize the risk of blowing the prank by having Skipper 1, the Lead or Skipper 2 fall into the Jungle juice aka "The River."

In any event, after getting arrested and kicked off his boat, Skipper 1 is now hastily spirited away in the skiff at full speed (heading back to the dock along the regular route home---i.e., past Schweitzer Falls) as though being hauled off to a booking facility.

Next, Skipper 2 announces to his newly-acquired boatload of bewildered guests: "Sorry for that folks. Glad we finally nailed that guy. Now, where were we?" He then finishes up the rest of the cruise as though nothing had happened, picking up in the spiel where Skipper 1 left off.

As a topper, the true pros at this prank would have Skipper 1 waiting back at the dock surrounded by a "guard" of two or three other skippers standing by him while he pleads for bail money from the guests exiting the boat.

There were several variations of this prank, but they all played out about the same.

Remember, the above was performed over 20 years ago by trained professionals. Don't try this at home!

Secret Tiki Bathrooms

If you are hip to the Adventure/Frontier experience, you should know about the public restroom located just to the left of the entrance doors to "Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room" attraction. It's like your own private restroom in the middle of Disneyland. Very few guests know its there. Heck, very few Cast Members know about it for that matter.

Say it is about 110 degrees out and it is the middle of July and you (for some unknown reason) are actually in the Magic Kingdom with 65,000 of your closest friends enjoying a little theme park excitement. You need to use the facilities but everywhere you turn you find lines out the door. Before clamoring to City Hall to demand FastPasses to Disney restrooms, chill out and head over to the Tiki Room. Breeze knowingly past the bleary-eyed and sweaty guests languishing in the Tiki Gardens waiting in line for Dole pineapple whips. Walk up the steps and slowly disappear into the doorway to your left. Pick the appropriate door for your gender, of course. You will likely find a small, empty restroom, all to yourself. A cool blast of air conditioning will drift over you as you enter. Relax. Chill. Remember, if you didn't know about his already, you heard it here first.

Haunted Mansion After Closing---Don't Play With The Elevator

Sometime during the summer of 1985, a couple of fellow sweepers finished their closing work early in New Orleans Square/Bear Country (remember the Country Bear Jamboree?) and decided to do a little exploring in the Haunted Mansion as part of their "final sweep" of the area. Having befriended the ride operators, they knew where to find the activation control for the elevator that is deftly disguised as the "stretching gallery" where guests first enter the attraction. They thought it would be fun to ride the elevator down and do a walk through, so they hit the control and started the elevator's descent.

Then, for some reason, they decided it would be cool to jump up and hang from the wood paneling ledge that extends around the edge of the room (see photograph above). They did this at the outset and proceeded to dangle (like kids on the monkey bars) while they watched the room "stretch" above them as the elevator descended. Unfortunately, they did not realize that not only did the the wall above them "stretch," but the floor below them also dropped away from them as they hung from the overhang.

When the elevator reached bottom, they looked down, intending to drop down from their ledge. They found to their dismay that now their feet were pretty darn high above the floor. Of course, neither of the dangling sweepers could get to the control button to bring the elevator back up. So, they had little choice but to drop a good distance to the floor. No broken ankles or knees resulted, but they learned a valuable lesson about messing around in the Mansion.

The next time you find yourself in the room with "no windows and no doors," take a look above you at the overhang (the one with the gargoyles holding the candles). Watch where that ends up when the elevator reaches the bottom and the doors open to let you into the hallway. You'll see, it's quite a drop.

"Guestbusters" - 1984 Cast Member t-shirt

In the Olympics Summer of 1984, while working in Day Custodial at Disneyland, I put together a t-shirt that a friend silkscreened for me. It had the Ghostbusters logo modified to show a mouse-ear-and-Hawaiian-shirt-wearing, sunglassed tourist being "exxed out" by the famous red symbol of a circle with a slash through the middle. The attached photo shows a "rough" of the final t-shirt artwork. Among cast members, the shirt was pretty popular and I sold out of my 100 or so that were made.

I recall a group at the Stage Door Cafe in Frontierland had purchased several. Sadly, none of the shirts survived---to my knowledge. It was pretty cool to see CMs wearing them on their way in to work. Don't get me wrong, we loved the guests, but a little gallows humor and sarcasm was always welcome inside the berm.

The Jungle Cruise - All Downhill From There?

Summer 1987.
I was a Jungle Skipper.
This was pre-Indiana Jones. The old dock and bullpen were in place. The West Side of Disneyland actually died down at night.
There was no Fanstasmic clogging up New Orleans Square and the Rivers of America like a pyrotechnic embolism.
Eisner was just starting his destruction of the Park.
The Main Street Electrical Parade actually ran down Main Street (of all places!) on summer nights. The Adventure/Frontier ride operators would join in the pre-parade set up, crowd control and post-parade breakdown. A flashlight with a red or yellow cone on the end meant power. "Folks, I'm going to need all of these strollers folded down, and you will have to take a seat so that the people behind you can see, too."
The torches of the Tahitian Terrace glowed in the night, accompanied by the heady smell of pineapple and teriyaki.
Swisskapolka lilted endlessly in the background.
The jungle was alive with its soundtrack of drums, native chants, bird and animal calls, piped in from invisible speakers tucked amidst the foliage.
The Mekong Maiden and her sister boats were decked out in colorful striped canopies and brightly cushioned seats.
Our Smith & Wesson .38 caliber guns were chained in place at the front of our boats and loaded with blank rounds. The "breakdown" rounds were larger loads that could deafen an African Bull Elephant---while simultaneously notifying your Lead back at the dock that your engine had stalled or---more likely---your boat had come off the track at the turn near the Hippo Pool. Thankfully, the guns are back after an utterly inexplicable politically-correct absence.
Just next door, the Pirates of the Caribbean remained unblemished and true to its original state. The pirates still chased the wenches in apparent hopes of satisfying appetites other than hunger for food. Captain Jack did not exist.
The Mark Twain's steam whistle called out in its haunting voice, and, at night, the sternwheeler's sparkling, lighted decks would brilliantly glide into view past the Riverbelle Terrace.
A fire still burned in the settler's cabin on Tom Saywer's Island, though the old settler no longer had an arrow in him, he had taken up "moonshining" and a still mishap set fire to his cabin.
As the Park slowed down in the late evening, Snow White's voice would trickle over from the Wishing Well Grotto, echoes and all---sometimes, clear as a bell.
We would hungrily wait to get "bumped" from "Unload" so that we could grab a snack during break or lunch.
Women worked Tiki Room, Pirates, Country Bear Jamboree, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, but not the Jungle Cruise.
Fantasy In The Sky lit up the sky over the Park.
Disneyland still had a parking lot out front.
The Rocket Jets were still in Tomorrowland---not out front, on Main Street!
The Skyway still lifted guests over Fantasyland, through the Matterhorn and over Tomorrowland.
You could still have a great moment or two with Mr. Lincoln over on Main Street and take a peek at a perfect model of Walt's office.
Cobblestone could still be found on Main Street, too.
Oh, there's a lot more to discuss. For me, it was a supremely happy time. I had an absolute ball every day I showed up for work.
We'll get into more of my view of the universe as this Blog continues.
To all my friends and fellow Cast Members from 1984 - 87 (both in Attractions and Day Custodial), I send along my heartfelt best wishes and thanks.